Caterpillar Friends

I love Spinx moths, the ones that fly so fast they are often called Hummingbird Moths. So, when I see one of their big green caterpillars on my tomato plants I think happily of the future.

Still, when my favorite tomato plant, Cloudy Day, is having a small tomato vanish into the caterpillar, I go into Tomato Protection Mode.

With the best intentions I tried to pick the caterpillar up, to move it to another tomato plant with less luscious tomatoes. The caterpillar, however, had no intention of being moved. It held on so tightly that I had to choose between hurting it in forcing it to let go, and cutting off the little branch so I could move it without hurting it.

Having cut off the branch and moved it and the caterpillar to the pot with my not-very-productive Sweet 100 Tomatoes, I fully expected the caterpillar to prune the low leaves away.